Scientists at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have managed to grow mini-human brains to help researchers look into brain development.
The BBC reports that the brains are the size of peas and are about as developed as a 9-week-old fetus. Scientists hope the mini-brains will help researchers look into how a brain grows and what happens for schizophrenia and autism disorders to develop.
The scientists used human stem cells to create an embryo that would develop into the neuroectoderm, spinal cord and brain. These cells were then placed into droplets of gel to allow for tissue growth and placed into a nutrient bath that provides the cells with oxygen and other nutrients.
The mini-brains have so far only last about a year and grew to a maximum size of about 4 millimeters.
Dr. Juergen Knoblich, a researcher on the project, said, “What our organoids are god for is to model development of the brain and to study anything that causes a defect in development.”
The mini-brains could potentially replace rats and mice in drug research, since actual brain tissue could be use.
Prof. Paul Matthews at Imperial College London in clinical neuroscience – though not involved in the study - commented, “This study offers the promise of a major new tool for understanding the causes of major developmental disorders of the brain … as well as testing possible treatments, Reuters notes.
After growing for about a month, the researchers were able to discern the beginnings of developing brain regions like retina, choroid plexus and cerebral cortex.
Their research was published in the Nature journal of science.